Topic: I am stump
in Forum: C3 Fuel, Emission Control, and Exhaust Systems
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OK I have a good one. My friend has a 81 and he took it to the paint shop and the guys at the paint shop let the battery go dead. Now the car will not start. He had two guys come over to try to get it to start but no luck. They check the fuel line they Chang the points and the disturber cap, the car turns over fine. If he keeps the key on it will start for about 20 secs. What could it be. Would it have something to do with the ECM?
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Duncanville, TX - USA
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Well, the first problem I see with this is they changed the points...in an HEI system...
The ECM in this car really only controls the idle mixture, and the timing advance. Try this...
Unplug the flat, 4 wire connector going to the distributer, and see if it starts. If it does, then the ECM might be the problem. Did the body shop do any kind of welding on it?
It's possible that if the key was left on until the batt. went dead, it fried the ignition module in the dist.

The ECM in this car really only controls the idle mixture, and the timing advance. Try this...
Unplug the flat, 4 wire connector going to the distributer, and see if it starts. If it does, then the ECM might be the problem. Did the body shop do any kind of welding on it?
It's possible that if the key was left on until the batt. went dead, it fried the ignition module in the dist.
Joel Adams
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Manteca, CA - USA
Joined: 11/20/2005
Posts: 3623
Vette(s): 1978,two tone,Metalic Rootbeer & gold
1975 L48 4 speed
When all else fails , go back to the basics. It might be a long shot but check fuel pressure. The very same thing happened to me recently, I opened the fuel line at the carb and noticed very little fuel at all when cranking. The culprit turned out to be the pickup fuel line just out of the tank by the gas cap. It was so badly cracked that it kept sucking air. That'll give ya fits. Good luck bro.
Jimmy B.
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Manteca, CA - USA
Joined: 11/20/2005
Posts: 3623
Vette(s): 1978,two tone,Metalic Rootbeer & gold
1975 L48 4 speed
Ya can't test fuel pressure without fuel, so check that hose first. It sure sounds suspect to me. Please let us know how it works out David.aceinthehole 2007-04-22 12:02:33
Jimmy B.
Just can't wait to get on the road again.
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in Forum: C3 Fuel, Emission Control, and Exhaust Systems
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